DBM approves P2,000 hike in poll workers’ honoraria
Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah Pangandaman. — PHOTO FROM HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
In line with President Marcos’ order, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on Friday said it approved the across-the-board P2,000 honoraria hike for teachers and poll workers.
“As directed by our beloved President Marcos, finally, our teachers and poll workers will receive a P2,000 across the board increase on their compensation for the 2025 midterm elections,” said Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman in a statement.
Pangandaman said the new honoraria rates for electoral board chairperson will be P12,000 from the P10,000; poll clerk and third member will now get P11,000 from the previous P9,000; while support staff will now have P8,000 from previous P6,000.
P7.4B for poll workers
DBM noted that the 2025 General Appropriations Act earmarked P7.4 billion for poll worker compensation.
The total number of poll workers for the national and local elections at 758,549, according to DBM, citing Commission on Elections (Comelec) data.
READ: Marcos orders P2,000 honoraria hike for teachers, poll workers — DBM
Pangandaman then urged Comelec to ensure that our teachers and poll workers will get their compensation as quickly as possible.
“They deserve nothing less,” she said.
Monitoring center
In a related development, Palace communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said Mr. Marcos also had a directive to launch a 24/7 monitoring center in a bid to ensure a “clean and honest” midterm elections.
“This is a real-time digital command post, which is ready to detect, prevent and end online misinformation and disinformation,” Castro said in a regular briefing.
This “war room” was launched by the Comelec and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).
Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco said the Quezon City-based 24/7 Threat Monitoring Center of Comelec and DICT with Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center, was launched on Monday.
